New Streetcars!

[CrazyCanuck]

Expo bid drives TTC to buy 96 streetcars
100 others to be refurbished
Service expansion in anticipation of winning bid for 2015 World's Fair
Susan Kirwin
National Post
20 April 2006

The Toronto Transit Commission yesterday agreed to buy 96 new, low-riding streetcars and refurbish dozens more of its existing stock, which will be coupled together on busy routes, as it prepares for a crush of possible visitors if the city succeeds in its bid for Expo 2015.

The commission agreed to buy 96 streetcars from Siemens Transportation Systems of Germany. Another 100 of the TTC's existing streetcars will be refurbished, including about 75 that will be coupled at a cost of $100,000 each, in a bid to help stop them from bunching up during rush hour.

Transit advocates are not happy with the refurbishing and coupling plan, preferring that all-new streetcars be bought.

"It seems like a foolish expenditure for a short period of time," said Steve Munro of the transit advocacy group the Rocket Riders.

King Street has been discussed as a possible site for the new two-car streetcars.

Mr. Munro said the coupled cars would not fit at either Spadina or Union Station: "It's a nice idea, but it doesn't physically fit."

Activists criticized the TTC for investing more money in its 30-year-old fleet, which will be extended by 10 years.

"This is a waste of time," said Rocket Rider Steve Fisher.

"The TTC is throwing money here and there; we need to buy them off the shelf."

But the TTC officials said it is the only option they have.

Robert Boutilier, the commission's deputy general manager, said the streetcars are needed to maintain service until the new cars come in.

TTC engineers need to design new cars that will be compatible with Toronto's rail system.

Tracks have been upgraded and will be good for another 25 years, Mr. Boutilier said.

"It's not just a case of taking a car from the factory and putting it on the rails," said Mr. Boutilier, citing derailments in other cities that have bought streetcars off the shelf.

"Suppliers gloss over these issues. That's why we are being very careful from an engineering perspective."

The project is expected to take a minimum of 10 years.

"The need to refurbish is inescapable," said Mitch Stambler, the TTC's manager of service planning. "No matter how much we want to buy new cars, we have to rebuild."

Mr. Stambler said Toronto's bid for the 2015 World Expo makes it necessary to ensure the city has streetcar capacity.

"We might have to move 20,000 people per hour in both directions," Mr. Stambler said. "If we have to move that kind of volume, we would have to have coupling."

The new streetcars will have a "low-floor" style and will be fully accessible. All streetcars must be fully accessible by 2024 as a part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The transit commission is also being criticized for being slow on accessibility. The refurbished cars will not be accessible.

"They are still behind with the times and they are still being closed-minded," Mr. Fisher said.

"They should have been discussing this 10 years ago."

[Skybean]

Pictures?

[CrazyCanuck]

I'm on it skybean
http://www.transportation.siemens.co...ucts/trams.htm

It might not be this model though.

or this.

[Filip]

Untz

[CrazyCanuck]

They could also look like this.

[Bertez]

Paint it red......and I'm pretty happy

[Filip]

LOL how European... and in the spirit of all things euro...

The Free - Lover on the line


Lover, lover on the line.
Call me, call me anytime
Tell me what I like to hear
Make me feel like you are near
On the phone you make me sweat
You make my body oh so wet
Tell me what is on your mind
'Cause you're my lover on the line

Lover on the line.
You want see me but you're blind
Try to touch me, touch me with your mind
Love me on the line.
For this unit you are mine
I'm your lover, lover on the line
If you tell me all your dreams
I'll satisfy your needs (Talk to me, just talk to me)
If you keep on holding the line
I'll tell you all my dreams (Talk to me, just talk to me)

I can see you in my mind
I can hear you bump and grind
Girl I like the way you moan
When you're on your telephone
Don't be afraid now, don't be shy
You can feel me if you try.
I can have you anytime
'Cause you're my lover on the line

With the satellites and through the space
I talk to you, a voice without a face
With the satellites and through the space
I'm the ............. you love and you embrace

- Hello... Hello.... Talk to me... You're me lover on the line

With the satellites and through the space
I talk to you and my voice hesitate

[ssiguy2]

Thank god!
The TTC desperatly needs new streetcars!
Any idea on when the first new shipments will arrive?

[DrJoe]

Is this dependent on winning the Expo?

[Jaye101]

The "Beach"... And then these un-unique streetcars. More generic by the day. Although I do realize they needed to be replaced.

[Filip]

Well we'll still have a bundle of our old red rockets... And of course these new rolling eurodances hehehe (strange urge to go clubbing looking at these streetcar pics hahahahaha)

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by Jaye101

The "Beach"... And then these un-unique streetcars. More generic by the day. Although I do realize they needed to be replaced.

I'm glad there is at least one more person out there who agrees with me.
I am not thrilled about a generic aerodynamic shaped streetcar being
chosen. I actually LIKE the style of the existing, but I know they are too
heavy. Sad to see it go just so we can look just like Germany.

[p5archit]

They are basing their purchase on the Expo 2015? WTF is that? Why not just purchase them because the old LRT's need to be replaced.

Besides, i am not in favour of any of the models posted here- the ones from vienna are comfortable and long, but they are ugly and you feel every single bump- on the bright side, they are low and have massive windows.

Speaking of Expo, did anyone go to the consultation on the 18th at Ryerson?

p5

[Dusko]

I'm going to start photographing the old ones more and more. Once their gone, their gone. I'm going to miss them. But I must admit the new ones will save energy and be better from a sustainability point of view for the ttc.

[Hogtown]

Originally Posted by Dusko

I'm going to start photographing the old ones more and more. Once their gone, their gone. I'm going to miss them. But I must admit the new ones will save energy and be better from a sustainability point of view for the ttc.

true sustainability is about learning to stop throwing things away...from an energy consumption standpoint, repair is almost always cheaper than replacement...but atleast now we can finally be like everyone else, isnt that wonderful...

[Roch5220]

hopefully they are not ugly - and have a self destruct timer of 30 years so they can never be rererererebuilt

[CrazyCanuck]

I'm sure people with dissabilities will enjoy this. The low floors will make them more accessible.

[Roch5220]

^ And normal riders. Hence, less time will be spent at stops waiting for the old/fat/and disabled to get on.

Next project should be low floor buses.

[Roch5220]

whoops, that wasn't to PC was it. By fat I mean't pregnant women at 8 months, as well as myself.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by Roch5220

whoops, that wasn't to PC was it. By fat I mean't pregnant women at 8 months, as well as myself.

"Fat" is a no-no. The correct term is "Gravitationally Challenged".